ECRR in Action

Every Child Ready to Read in Action

Presenters: Kathleen Reif, Saroj Ghoting, Judy Nelson, Holly Henley

ECRR 2 reflects the current research and input from both librarians and workshop participants. The example of a parent-child workshop in ECRR 2 is Math and Science. This approach is a good and a fun way to both demonstrate ECRR in action to parents and to use factual books. Use of factual books is especially important because of what research shows. Parents with no training talk two times as much when they are sharing an informational book with a child and that they allow their child to speak two times as much as compared to sharing a book of fiction. In addition, a higher level of vocabulary is used. So in the workshop as presenters offer opportunities to share books, they offer ample time to share factual books.  Keep in mind that it’s the interaction around the book that helps develop literacy skills in children. Math is a way of thinking, of knowing and solving problems. It’s inquiry, a process. Science and math most directly support vocabulary and background knowledge, both of which are essential for children to understand what they will read. To become good readers children need to have good general knowledge. The parent is the child’s first teacher, as shown on the slide that comes in the ECRR 2 Kit. The Math and Science workshop gives the children the chance to ask questions, to look for answers, to talk about the experiment. Children are naturally curious. The presenter can substitute the experiment, which is melting ice cubes, for another they would prefer. The process will be the same. Children will still be encouraged to predict, make observations, do the experiment, observe, and make conclusions.

Have a display of factual books. Pick one and demonstrate reading it. Allow time for questions and answers. Point out the index, contents, glossary, and so on.

Math is a way to talk about ideas, develop general knowledge, learn vocabulary, recognize patterns, practice sorting, and learn problem solving. The more words a child knows and the more knowledge he understands, the more he will understand when learning to read.

The home should be the child’s learning zone. The presenter should take the time to read the slide that says the home is a learning zone. Encourage parents to use questions and talking with their chldren. All these things take time and energy, but every little thing a parent does to encourage early literacy makes a big different.

The feedback from the Math and Science workshop was that there was too much talking by the presenter at the beginning. Participants loved the activities with the children and using the scientific method. The recommendation is that the presenter separate the children and adults at the beginning for about 20 minutes. If the presenter keeps the families together, she should add songs, fingerplays, and provide activities such as coloring sheets for the children to be doing while the parents listen. Also, don’t provide all the information at the beginning.

Some fun music to use during the workshop includes  The Milkshake Song  from Songs for Wiggleworms, Very Very Tall  from Wiggleworms Love You and Jumping and Counting by Jim Gill. The “Mix a Pancake” rhyme is also good for this program.

The workshop requires stations; participants will rotate among the areas.

Other science activities include floating and sinking, recording by drawing or writing, stations for sock or bean sorting, stringing fruit loops in a pattern, and so on. Other activities libraries have used include making ramps out of cereal boxes and making paper rulers to measure shapes. Sorting groceries was also an activity—by what goes into the refrigerator, freezer, cabinet, counter, and so. There is a video clip in the kit of a father talking with his child in the kitchen and so if you use the grocery sorting activity, use that clip. Challenge the adults to use new vocabulary words as they do the activities with their child. The measuring activity had mixed results with some participants liking it and others not.

Libraries might prefer to do a separate workshop for Math and Science.

In ECRR 2 we are executing the skills through the practices. The new curriculum engages parents and children. Consider starting with one practice. Add play to storytimes. One library changed the name of the storyhour to Play & Learn. Have opportunities for open ended play to allow for adult-child interaction. During the first part of the storytime follow the tradition of songs, fingerplays, rhymes, stories, about 20-40 minutes. During that time deliberately comment about the six skills. Storytime always starts with writing—the child writes his own name on his nametag or for younger children parents help write the name. This is, of course, print awareness. Provide a play time after storytime. Play things might include blocks, trains, letters, dice, pots and pans, flannel boards, etc. With pots and pans children can be encouraged to match colors or parts. Block building helps teach architecture and physics. Everything can be incorporated into block play. Provide cars, trucks, and people, Change what goes with the blocks. Unit blocks are available from Lakeshore. If libraries can, they should buy the biggest batch and the biggest storage unit. It will never wear out. If there are letters on the train sets, children are helped with letter recognition through play. Children love large foam dice and to count the spots. Provide a wordless picture book list. Display real world fun with nonfiction titles for toddlers and preschoolers. Have old catalogs on hand to help children use pictures, drawings and words to make their own pictures or books—‘All About Me’ or ‘My Favorite Things’, etc. Consider leaving the children’s program room open all the time and having directed play activities in there. They can be moved out of the room for storyhours.

Every library should have at least one staff member trained in ECRR to use and share the program with other staff members and patrons.

Our libraries are leaders in preparing children for school by being ready to learn to read. This program helps libraries be taken seriously by the education world. It is an advocacy tool.